Trench-forming machine



July 14, .1925.

.T. K. WHITE TRENCI FORMING MACHINE Filed April 8, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @not u e 1,41.

July 14, 192s.

T. K. WHITE TREN'CH FORIING MACHINE Filed April 8, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 2- Jwvcntoc Gitana@ July 14, 1925.

T. K. WHITE TRENCH FORMING MACHINE Filed April 8, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 elm-vento@ Patented July 14, 1925.

uNiTsngsfrAfrEs PATENToFi-ica. i

THOMAS KENNEDY `warren or nunon, `soU'rH nakomt.y

TRENCH- FORMING MACHlNE.

Application filed Aprii 8,1925.` serial No. 21,633.

vide means ttorgradually advancing theinachine to its work as the scoops are operated to accomplish' the `digging'result.

A; still further object ot the inventionV is to vary the speed atwhich the machine .is being advanced, adapting the machine for use in digging trenches in hard or soft soil and* at widely diii'ering depths.`

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedefscription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the, 'details ot construction hereinafter described and claimed, it vbeing' understood that changes in the precise embodiment of thcvinvention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without v departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

Referring to the' drawings:

Figurefl is aside elevational view of ai trench forming machinevconstructed inV cordance `with the invention. U

Figure 2 is a plan view thereof; `Figure 3 isa front elevational view illusi trating the manner of securing the machine to a tractor tov permit the machine to operate on sidehills. .i l

Figure 4 is adetail view illustratingthe" pawl supporting member and method of adjusting the movements of the pawl support ing member.` Figureis a plan view of theboorn and' scoops supported thereby;

Figure 6 is `an elevationaljview illustratfV ing the chutes for receiving the material dugv by the scoops. y

Figure 7 is an'enlarged detail view illus'- Y trating the vadjustable vboom guiding and.

supportingframe. 1 Y

4Figure yi3 is a `plan View ofthe chutes.

Figure 9 is a sectional view through the traine of the machine, illustrating the manner of adjusting the frame. j'

Referring to the drawings inV detail, the ire-terence character 5 indicates af tractor `which is of the usual construction and on whichthe machine, forming 'the essence of the present invention is mounted.'`

The machine includes side bars ,vvwhich are relatively long and have their forward ends connected tothe bars 7 v'that extend downwardly and are connected by means of hebirs 8 secured to opposite sides of the ars f The bars 8 provide ahousing for the axle.'

9 vthat in turn supports wheels `10. Forming a part of the tractor is a depending member 11 supplied. with'an opening Vto accommodate the bolt 12 that passes through the bars 8 to pivotally support thetractor Abody with respect to theV axle to-=allowf the axle to be adjusted permittingthe device to operate on side hills. V The rear end of the :machine issupported by i the creeper sections 13T that Aembody spaced barsllt provided with 'axles on which" the sprockets 15 are mounted, the sprockets acting as supports forthe Aendless track seci tions 16, so that when the track sections V16 are operated, the machine will bel moved forwardly over the ground surface.

bar 2O of the machine frame to brace the; machine frame. Thesebars 19 have their inner endsconnected at'21f sothat a tiltingmovement of the frame' with respect to the axle 18 will be permitted.

As clearly sliownby Figure 9 oty the drawfg ings, kthe cable 22 lhas connection Awith the bar 23 mounted above the 'axle` 1 8 and con nected therewith, the central portion of the cable being 'formed ',intoa'loop passed around the' drumH 24, the4 intermediate portions of the cable passingover the idlelpulleys 25.` crankhandle 26gis formedat, oneend oftheshaft on which; the "drum 2&1r is 'mounted "so that upon rotation `ot lthe handle, the drum will be` rotated, t'omove; the cable 22 thereover in Lsuch alway that` one endofthe member 23" an d shaft 18wil1 be elevated,lwhilelthelopposite end is' low.1

VMounted on Ytheside bars 6 of-` the frame,

" ered, thereby compensating for gradesV to {with}gears A31 vcarried -at :the outer end ol:

shaft '3.2 and when moved into `eng-agement with gear 285 transmit rotary-movement of the shaft 27 to the intermediate "units on shaft 82 throughthe gearing. Adjacent, to the ends ofthe shaft 32 are sprockets' 33 rigidlywcpnnected .toV gears 3l over which the chains 34 operate, the-:chains also `passing over Vsprocket Wheels Ymounted on the axle y18 which in turn transmits movement to the endless track sections lfitoicause the :mechine .to `be movedforrvardly when it is desired .to move-ltheffmachine fromplace to place.

j Cooperating withzthechains 34 are cha-ins 35 that operate, over sprockets secured to the shaft 18. The latter chains also pass overthe sprockets 36mounted on the shaft- 37- tothe lendthat rotary movement is also imparted to shaft 36. ,e Y

. Eccentrical-ly mounted at the ends/of shaft 27 are `arms 88 that carry pivoted pawlsf) at their outer ends, which pivotedpawls are adaptedto engage the ratchet wheels 40 so thatas the shaft 27 rotates, the -pawls will bemoved over the .ratchet Wheels to .rotate the ratchet Wheels with a step bysteprmovement. It will ,be `obvious `.that due to this construction, the three Wheels which .are

olampedtogether and move freely on shaft 82 will berrotatedl in-such a Way as 'to feed the machine forwardly at intervals-y The arms 38 have adjustable connection withtlie plates 4.1 which are provided with aplurality of openings 42 that accommodate the bolts 43 to permit of such' adjustment ltoV the endathat'the throvv'of the `arms may be adjusted causing-the ratchet Wheels 40 t be moved various' distances. l

The plates 4l have :openings to accommodate pin-s carriedon the ends of the shaft Wheels i6 at the opposite'end thereofvvhich sprocket Wheelsrprovide :supports for the;

endlesslchains 47 to Whichthe scoops-48am secured,y the chains/.teaflso operatingover idle pulleysf49f and 50 to the Yend that the chains are heldftaut at :all times. Pulley 50.y serves thefurther*purpose of sharply.

breaking the direction. of motion of chain 4:7 tothe end `that an*l automaticf cleaner in scoop 418 @be 4lOperatedor;I that a l loosely -fpivf4 Adjustably mounted onthe frame gis the boom` 44; Which .is sup-p-lied yWithsproclret Wheels 45 :at one endandsproeketv oted scoop 48 be given a sudden flip which includesside-bars 52 connected at their lower ends by the bar 52. An auxiliary frame indicated at 53-forms a partI of the guidingiand supporting frame and includes side bars 54 -thatV are formed xvith openings arlilptedto registerwith. openings yformed in the side members of the frames to receive bolts v55 so thatl the. frame 53 may be adjusted longitudinallyfof the boom ,guiding-"and supporting frame providing afurther adjustment ofthe boom.

` Sprocketwheels are mountedfou the shaft 5l over which sprockets'the chains 54 operate, which chains also' movel over sprocket Wheel 55 mounted on head shaft 56, to transmitmovement thereto `Which shaft also supports .sprockets v45 vto rotate there- The vpowershaft ofthe tractor is indicated jat 57 and "supportsvthesprocket 58- over which the chain- 59 operates, 'the .chain 59;also'-operating over the sprocket (i0 that is mounted on the shaft 6l to impart rotary movement thereto. Thusit will'beseen that t-lieshaftl-'is continuously operating. Gear Wheel'. 62 ismounted on shaft 61 and isV adapted; to transmit rotary movement tolthe shaftvlvthrough the relatively large gear Wheelv 63 ,that maybe. splined on the shaft 5l but is preferably connected itoshaft/51 by a spring release catch or clutch iWhich cushions the pull. on chain Wand releases on overload. Vhen the gear Wheel 63 is splinedonthe shaft it-.may be moved into and out of mesh with ygear Wheel 62 by means ofl a levery provided withv a forked `extremity not shown and which I operates kbetween the flanges ofthe-clutch operating member 66;`

Pivotally mounted'at t-herear end offthe bars-6 1s a,supportingiandadjusting me1n`- ber67 which; is .elongated and includes spaced side bars 68 formed With-slotsf69 at ftheir' innerI ends, the .outer ends ithereof supporting kbearings 70 in whichthe shaft 71o erates,.the shaft 7l,,which-:carries:most of t e Weight of the boom, thus'givingthe machine a desired resiliency,'als"ofaeting las a support for the gear72-1 that mesheswvith the worm mounted-on one fend of the shaft 74 so: ithat uponv rotary movement of the shaft 74, the gear 72 will beirotated'to rotate 4,the shaftV 471.-.13ulley y75 lis also mounted Ion. the shaft 71: and accommodates the cable 76 that is looped .therearounch whichcablehasi its lower end` connectedx with retards movement ofdrum 87..

www

" the operator may rotate shaft 7d for accomplishing the rotation of worm 3. The inner ends and` central portions Vof the bars 68 are held inl spaced relation with each other bv means of the bars and81 re-v spectively so that the strain directed to the machine whileitis in operation, will bedistribluted throughoutl the length ofthe barsV 68. j Stops 82v may beprovided on` the bars 68 and engage the bars 52 to restrict downwardv movement of the upper end ofthe guiding member.

`Secured tothe bars 6 are chains 83, which may be secured within the slots 69 to hold the supporting and adjusting member-67 in,

predetermined positions of adjustment and relieve the cable employed for moving the supporting member, of 4undue strain.

The cable for moving the supporting member is indicated at 84 and operates under the idle pulley 85 mounted onthe shaft 86, from where it passes to the drum 87 to be wound thereon, the drum 87 being however mounty ed onV the shaft 88 supported in suitable bearings formed in thebars 6. Brake 87 p i Gear wheel 89 is mounted `on the shaft 88 and is adapted to receive motion from the shaft 61 through the gear wheel 90 and gear wheel A91, the latter gear wheel being ISupported by the swinging arms 92 so that it may be thrown downwardly into mesh with the gear 90.

In order that the downward movement of the upper end of the supporting member 67 will be restricted, a curved arm 93 is provided and bolted to one of the arms 92, the curved arm having a widened portion 94C formed at its free end to be engaged by the bar 80 of the supporting member 67 when the bar 80 is moved downwardly, to the end that as the arm 93 is moved downwardly, the gear wheel 91 is moved to its inactive position or out of mesh with the gear wheel 90. An operating arm 95 is. carried by the arms 92 and affords means whereby an operator may throw the gear 91 into and out of operation at will. If it is desired to dig to a greater dept-h than can be reached by the boom as shown additional links and bucket may be inserted in chain 4.7, and the slidable beam 77 may be slid out telescopically and bolted to the desired position with relation to boom 44 and additional length of cable 76 in serted to accommodate the new relation; or, if necessary, a. longer sliding beam 77 can be substituted. l

From the` foregoing it will beobvious that dueto the construction shown and described, the boom .4t/1 may be operatedatvarious anglesand depths with respect to the surface in which a trench is being dug, thereby per mittingv unlimited `use of the device as a.

ditching machine. Y

dupported by, the boom and arranged under the frame96 are chutes97 and 98 which are inclined at oblique langles `with respect to the bars 6, andwhich are disposed transversely of the machine, so that material delivered-to the chutes 98 will be delivered laterally. of the machine or at points adjacent tothe upper edge of the trench underconstruction. t

.a A transversely disposed shaft 99 issups ported at the upper end of the boom and carries beveled pinions 100 which are in mesh with beveled pinifons 101 carried at theinner ends, offfthe Vshafts 102, the shafts 102 also supportingsproclrets 103`r` over which the endlessconveyors 1011 that move through the centralportions of Ithechutes, operate.`

Rotary. motion is transmittedjfrom the shaft 56, to the shaft 99, through thechain the shaft 99.

105, sprocket106andsproclet 107 carriedlryV Y 1. An excavating machine comprisinga wheel-supported frame, adjustable means for supporting'fthe frame and `adapted tohold the frame in ahorizontalplane, a supporting member, a` vertically `adjustable boem having pivotal conneetionfawith thev supporting member, a ,guidingmembeig said supporting lli() member being pivotally supported at one end of the frame, said guiding member being supported at fone kend of thesuppo'rting member, means Vfor swinging the @supporting member to adjust the boom vertically with respect to the ground surface, means for maintaining thel boom in` a vertical plane, an endless chain of scoo s operating over the boom, and means or operating the scoops.

2. An excavating machine comprising a Y wheel-supported frame, pivoted supportingv bars mounted on the frame, a boom, a supporting and adjusting member pivotally mounted on the fra1ne,'a guide pivotally mounted at one end of the supporting and adjusting member and through which the supporting adjusting member for automati-` cally restrlcting'movement of the supporting and adjusting member.

3. An excavating machine comprising a wheel-supported frame, swinging supporting members mounted on the frame, asliding boom pivotally connected with theA upper ends ofthe upper supporting ,and-guiding members, a supporting and adjusting member pivotally supported vunder the boom and carrying a guide `thr `)=u'gh which the boom operates, means for moving thel adjusting and supporting 'member to adjust the boom with respect to the ground surface, and means for lockingjthe adjustingmember against movement. n

et. An excavating Vmachine A4comprisinga wheel-supported frame, a boom yhaving Aya plurality of scoops 4( )p'erating there'over,v `a supporting and adjusting member'halving a guide through which the boom l'c' `p'er'ates, a cable supporting the boom and a cable having rigid connection with the lower endjof the boom and spring connection with ythe upper end, a drum on Vwhich the cable is wound, means for operating kthe drum to raise and lower the boom through `its guide, means for operatingthe'supporting and adjusting memberto raise and lower the boom and guide, and means for operating the scoops. i

5. An excavating machine comprising a wheel-supported frame, a boom, an vendless chain of scoops operating over the boom, 'an adjusting and supporting memberhavin'g a guide through which the boom operates supported at one end of the frame, said adjusting and supporting member lada'ptedto tilt to adjust the boom, a pulley, agcable having connection with'the forward upper end of the supporting member and adapted` to be wound on the pulley, varms carrying a gear adapted to transmit rotary movement to the pulley,.an arm connected with the lirst mentioned arms and lying in the path muses of downward travel lof the upper or forward end of the supporting member.

6. An excavating machine, comprising la wheel-supported frame, af'boom, an endless chain 'of vscoops operatingvjover the boom, a boom guiding and supporting frame having pivotal connection with the boomk atthe inner end thereof, a pivoted supporting member mounted at' one end ofthe frame, a bearing member adjustably supported at the outery end of the pivoted supporting member and through which the boom operates, means carrie'dby the pivoted supporting member andcooperating with the boom for sliding the broom through the 'bearing member, and means for raising and lowering thepivoted supportingmember to regulate the depth of operation ofthe scoops.

7. Anjexcavating machine comprising 'a wheel-supported frame, aboom, means for pivotallysupporting the inner end ofthe boom, a lsuppo'rting niemb'er pivotally supported by the frame, 'means at the outer end of the 'pivoted supporting member for receiving and guiding the'boom', means carried by the supporting members for regulating the angle of operation of the' boom, a chain carried by the frame, asecuring. member cooperating with the vchain and adapted to engagel a portion of the "chain to 'lock the supporting member 'against movement,`and an endless chain of scoops operating over the'boom.A p i I In testimony that I claim'the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature inthe presence of two witnesses. p

THOMAS KENNEDY WHITE.l VVitnesses':

J. L. ANDERSON, fFERN CLARK.Vv 

